Preaching with a purpose

Often for both sexes their job is the major thing that gives them a sense of worth. when the job is finished some people feel there is nothing to live for. For many women they have spent their life working for their family and finding their worth in their husband and children. The children grow up and no longer need their parents. Often it is the husband who dies first. The wife is then left wondering what role she has any more. She has spent so much time caring for others and putting them at the centre that she doesn't know how to value herself and do things because she has a worth. She can spiral down into depression. As Christians we often forget to put God at the centre of our lives and always that leads to trouble, but we so easily get it wrong. Having said that we still need to know our own worth. If we are trusting in Jesus we need to remind ourselves that he thought we were so important that He died on the cross for us. You can't have a higher value than th

I am writing a little about what God the Father is like and what He is not like. I’m going to start in a good place, the beginning. Well at least it is at our beginning, for God had no beginning and has no end. So first we look at the creation of all things; and just to show that we cannot separate the Father Son and Holy Spirit let’s look at John’s gospel chapter one we read 1 v1-In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without him nothing was made that was made” So there we have Father and Son working together And then in Genesis we read that the spirit was hovering over the face of the waters.” We see how in six days God created all things and then rested As we go through each thing created we see that God pronounces it to be good and when man is created it is declared very good. Now for many years the T.V. has been pumping into our homes the Theory of Evolution

Are you bringing up your little girl to believe she is your Little Princess? Of course you must love her, but do not spoil her. You can ruin your daughter's life by spoiling her. If she knows all she has to do to get something is to whistle for it, you will make her life later on very difficult for her to cope with. She may marry a man who also treats her as his Little Princess. If she is lucky she will die first, if not she will lose him and be lost in a world that does not recognize her royal status. She will be unable to cope and will lurch from crisis to crisis trying to find someone who will make her a princess again. The friends she has will find her selfish and demanding and be unable to cope with being in her company for long. So think about your lovely daughter's later life and don't spoil her now. Saying "No" is the kindest thing you can do, so long as it is not all the time. Bring her up to earn her treats doing simple chores. This is by far t

Nothing will get in its way. God's will is bound to happen. But we like to have a nice cosy plan, life the way we would like it with wealth, health and happiness. God's plan for you is the very best, whatever it is. You may be standing in disaster today but if God is with you, you are the most blessed person in all the world. God's way is best. Disaster gives way to new life, new projects and a chance to do things better. God's way for you is the best way.

There is no doubt there has been a terrible natural disaster today in Oklahoma and I pray for those who have lost loved ones. However it always amazes me to see how few people lose their lives in these catastrophic events. By the look of the devastation on my T.V. I would expect many more to have died. God is gracious and limits the death toll.It is at times like this that we need, as individuals to think hard about our situation before God. I am going out in the car tonight; I could easily be killed in an accident. Am I ready to go?

This is a favourite verse of many people,"' for I know the plans I have for' declares the Lord.'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" (NIV) this is a wonderful promise but people take it as the recipe for an easy life. They need to look at the context. To whom were these words spoken? Not to people having an easy life. They were spoken to the children of Israel who had just had all their hopes dashed, they had gone into captivity and were told they would be there 70 years. The great majority would never return to Israel. But God says that when they seek Him with all their heart they will find him. Take another look at this verse in your Bible and read the verses before and after. God does want the best for us and sometimes He has to put us through trials to draw us back to Him. He is our only hope and future.

"Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He also promises to never turn away any one who comes to him. Also,"If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We all have such a lot of sin that needs his forgiveness. Let's lay the burden of them at his feet and let him do what only he can do, wash it all away.

Unless you are a little old lady like me, whose opinion no one cares about, if you believe in intelligent design and you want to get on in this life, you had better keep it to yourself. Below is the link to the trailer of Ben Stein's video in which he talks to lots of scientists who didn't even exactly believe in God but just in intelligent design, who were hounded out of their jobs for this one reason.It is certainly worth watching. It looks as if the evolutionists are running scared and you know how nasty a trapped animal can be. It doesn't take much intelligence to see intelligent design all around us, so why is it forbidden territory to the scientist? The whole point of science is to explore every possibility, not to be blinkered and narrow.I wonder why our T.V. authorities are so hell bent on presenting the evolution religion above anything else. This is certainly so with the BBC in the UK. Ben Stein's Video

At the beginnings of the discovery of DNA scientists were able to partially understand what 2% of DNA was for. They relegated the other 98% to the status of junk, left over from the evolutionary process. Creationists always held the view that this "junk" would one day be seen for what it really was, a vital part of the DNA from which we are all built. Last year 400 scientists from various parts of the world who had been working on what DNA is for, brought out 30 papers showing that they now knew what 80% of DNA was for and expressing the belief that eventually the purpose of all of it would be discovered, although maybe not before the end of the century. This major project is known as ENCODE and you can read about it's findings in Nature(link below) Once again we see intelligent design in the beauty and mystery of DNA. ENCODE

We all know that it has been demonstrated that selective breeding can produce many varied animals or plants. This sort of "evolution" can be demonstrated and is acceptable to the christian creationist. However the evolution that proposes that the origins of life came about randomly and started very simply and gradually, by accident produced more and more complicated forms of life, eventually arriving at man, over millions of years, is just a theory and cannot be demonstrated. The fossil record, perfectly compatible with Noah's flood, has no missing links to join up the species for the evolutionist. Many scientists now believe in "intelligent design" but are often ostracized by their atheistic colleagues. The atheist is more interested in proving his world view than in approaching his work in a scientific and unbiased way. Another thing the atheist will not accept is the mathematics which show present day human population figures can only have come about in

Scientists are just ordinary people like the rest of us and that means that they too can make mistakes. Of course they have expertise in some things, but often they are short on common sense. Don't sell out to the scientist. Just like everyone else he or she is biased. If he has thought up a theory he will want to prove it true even though he is supposed to try everything to prove it wrong. Just because you don't know what string theory is all about don't give in when you moral sense is alerted. Your opinions and beliefs matter, don't capitulate to the scientist, especially if he is on T.V. The scientist who is an atheist has a belief system too, it is called evolution and he is hell bent on spreading this belief by television.

Yes, you bet I am. I am totally given over to the considered opinion that God Almighty made all things. But then the atheistic scientist is totally biased too. He is desperate to make God totally dispensable. Why? Because he knows he doesn't come up to the standard God expects of him. He is running scared. He will use every trick in the book to present evolution as fact, when it is only theory. He will omit to tell you that when he uses a method to measure the age of rocks, that he is first making assumptions about the presence of carbon or whatever in the beginning. Many times the evolutionist will make huge assumptions that cannot be proved in any way. I also will make a big assumption, that one day these people will have to face their Creator and give account of the people they have led astray.I hope many of them find repentance before it is too late.

You say evolution was the way things happened, so why don't cats mate with dogs or hippos with alligators? If evolution was right it must be the easiest thing for any animal to mate with one of a different species. Even when a horse mates with a donkey the resulting mule is infertile. Seems kind of strange to me if evolution is the explanation of how life began. I have a much easier solution to believe in: God created everything in their species with limits He set on which could procreate with which. Why don't you join me? It's much sunnier in my neck of the woods.Oh sorry, I forgot, you can't see.

Although evolution is totally unlike what God would do, being cruel and full of death for no reason, the "churches" have played a game of bowing to evolution and tacking God on the end somewhere. This is a terrible situation. The God of the christian is most wonderful and glorious and has given us the Bible to tell us all we need to know. It begins with an account of how God made all things in six days. "How could this be?" you say. Because He is God. you have no idea of how great and magnificent he is, but if you will just take a look at the wonders of nature with an open mind and heart you will see a little of his might in design. Such design could not come about by chance. The whole of nature is intertwined and needs each other part to work. How can a Yucca plant evolve when the Yucca moth it needs is supposed not to have developed till millions of years later. But no, you are blind and deaf and stupid and so you will remain unless God gives you sight a

Evolution is all about survival of the fittest. So why have hospitals, shouldn't we let all those non fit people crawl off into the gutter and not let them be a drain on the rest? That is where evolution leads us, to an uncaring society where compassion is outlawed. Our governments don't dare say it yet, but they would love to get rid of everyone over working age who they consider a drain on the nation's resources. This nightmare could become reality if we don't wake up to the way evolution is perverting the old values of valuing all human life. First it was abortion and now it could well be the elderly who are no longer valued.

Huh? Whoever came up with such a crap theory as the theory of evolution? How on earth could something come out of nothing and randomly get more and more complex? It beggars belief that supposedly intelligent people can credit such a thing. However when, as I do, one believes in a wonderful Creator, the greatest designer ever, then one can see the splendour of what He has created. "But who made God?" you say and I reply,"He has always been and always will be and if there are other dimensions He permeates them all. He knows no restrictions and 'in Him we live and have our being.' " Watch out!! He is near you and knows all you do, think or say. He will hold you accountable for all you do and all those atheistic scientists, who have pushed the rotten theory of evolution, will be accountable for all the people they have led astray.If you are keen to find out more look on the internet under 'creationism'.

Although it is important to get a good night's sleep, too much sleep can actually prolong your depression. Having said that I know that when I am depressed all I want to do is sleep and no matter how I tell myself I shouldn't have too much sleep, the urge to sleep wins the day. However when you feel you are just on the borders of depression that is the time to act. As I am bi-polar I sometimes get up in the middle of the night to work on my computer. This always results in elevating my mood, so if I am on the borders of feeling depressed I will sometimes purposely get up in the middle of the night and it certainly seems to work for me. However there are people who find sleep eludes them when they have depression. I don't know what to suggest in those circumstances.

If I had said,"Should a Christian get a broken leg, or cancer?" you would think I was being ridiculous, but if a Christian gets depression they often feel very guilty for feeling that way when they have Jesus as their Saviour.When we can see all sorts of wonderful and positive things in our lives we feel guilty for being depressed. "What have I got to be depressed about?" we say to ourselves. Having a happy fulfilled life doesn't stop you breaking a leg, or getting cancer and neither does it stop you getting depressed. May be a better question for the Christian is to ask,"How will I cope with this depression in a God honouring way?" We have to remember that God is in control of all that happens to us and has a plan for us, which being his plan is the best possible for us. If we can submit to that plan we will be honouring God. Also if you truly submit and realise that God's plan for you, whatever it is, is the best for you, you will relax

How will your family cope if you get depression? They need to know it is an illness like any other and that you have not wished it upon yourself. After all, who would want depression? The best way they can help is to take some of your usual workload, but not all. If you have something to do it will keep your mind off how you feel and you will have a sense of achievement in what you have managed to do.It is best for a family to be practically helpful but not overly sympathetic. My daughter is always afraid of giving me encouragement to be depressed so does not express a lot of sympathy. Instead comment on what the depressed person has been able to accomplish in each day and encourage them when there are signs of improvement. Sometimes the depressed person just needs to slump and hide away but this should not be encouraged for too long. Always one should be moving away from depression and back to "normal" life.

You would think that stress would be bad for someone depressed, but this is not always the case. Of course I can only speak from my own experience. When I am low I want to hide away and do nothing, but really a certain amount of stress helps me. I am a local preacher and as such am committed to taking Sunday meetings now and again. If one of these is imminent it gives me a reason to get out of bed and do some Bible study and write a sermon. You might think that standing at the front of church and speaking to people would be much too much of a stressful situation for someone with depression, but I have trained for this and it is a part of my life now. For me it is a reasonable stress and when the meeting is over there is a sense of having done my duty, which helps me to be more elevated in mood. Of course, this is not the main purpose of preaching. For someone else this would be an intolerable stress. Just think what stresses would be suitable for you and don't be afraid of a

Well it all depends on you. A holiday can be just another stress. Deciding what to pack and getting on with family members in close quarters. Of course it can be a breath of fresh air and a chance to have a break from the worries of home, but then again you will still have to come home and face up to those everyday worries once more. Sometimes it is best just to plod gently through your usual routine. I've just been away with the family for five days. The weather was not awful but it was not good either. All we seemed to do was travel and eat lots. Not very good for the pocket and not terribly exciting either. Of course I wasn't depressed at this time but think I would have felt pretty ghastly if I had been. We went in two cars so all the liaising to get to the same place would have worried me greatly. No I think a holiday in a hotel with a trusted friend would be best if you were depressed, but that might give you money worries instead . There is a lot to be said for

If I am struggling with depression there is no way I can cope with someone else having it. I have to withdraw from them. My own burden is enough. There are some people who will try to lean on you too heavily. In my youth I had several people like that and eventually I could see how good it would be to have a large medallion around my neck with "NO" written in large letters. Some of us attract lame ducks, but they need to stand on their own feet and take responsibility for themselves. You are doing them no good if you continually prop them up. If you do that they will never learn. There is a sense in which you have to put yourself first, you are responsible for you, not for them.

If you had a broken leg everyone would surge around to help. An ambulance would be called and you would be whisked off to hospital to have it set in plaster. Then you would be sent home with crutches to get around on while your leg was mending. Everyone would be full of sympathy and no one would tell you to,"pull yourself together." And yet get depression and many friends will not know what to do and how to respond. Never mind, you can prepare yourself. If staying in bed helps you when you are depressed then stay in bed. What I like to do is to go to a friends where I can sleep on the settee and no one knows where I am and I'm away from the telephone. Something else I enjoy is to eat Battenburg cake. You know the pink and yellow squares with marzipan all around, very therapeutic.It might be hard to make yourself go out and meet people but that is also good for you. I've just realised I haven't mentioned medication. There are lots of anti-depressants av

When we are depressed we see ourselves as failures, useless, no good to anybody. What if this is the truth about us? What if all the happy people are living in cloud cuckoo land, just cosily in denial. I am a Methodist Local Preacher in Great Britain. Those are my credentials, but what I have to say are my own opinions, based on the Bible and not necessarily the opinion of the Methodist Church. The Bible says tha "there is none righteous, no not one." In other words we are all in a mess. God is good and cannot tolerate our lack of love for Him or our friends and neighbours. That sounds black, but it is not the end of the story. God in love for His children has made a way back into his good books. There is a verse in 1 John 1 which says,"If we confess our sin, He is willing to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The slate can be wiped clean, but how? Because Jesus came and sacrificed himself upon the cross taking the punishment f

In my previous post I talked a little about suicide. Depression is life threatening, it must be taken seriously. It is life threatening but need not be terminal. There are lots of things to do to help yourself out of it, or for friends and family to help you. More than anything the depressed person needs people. If you are prone to depression, while you are well get yourself a good base of friends. Join clubs, share hobbies or go to church. Then while you are well get into the habit of having positive thoughts about life. When you are unwell the negative thoughts will come but if you have a habit of thinking positively it will be easier to keep positive. Think about the good things in your life and refuse to given any thinking time to the negative, even though those negative things are quite true about your situation. If your children have nothing to do with you don't dwell on it for a second, just think about those good friends you have made. I live on my own and could

Never let suicide be an option for you. You are unique, we need you. We need your talents, we need your smile. Nobody else can fill the place you fill in the lives of others. You will have thoughts of suicide, just talk yourself out of it. I don't think I have every been truly suicidal, although I do remember once thinking that as my 3-year-old was safe in Pre-school and I was alone at home, that it would be a good time to eat some yew berries and end it all. Fortunately the thought passed. there are tremendous pluses in your life;hold on to them. Yes, they are clouded by depressio,n but they are still there like the sunshine behind the cloud. There is no way back from suicide and how do you know what is beyond? As a christian I believe there is heaven and hell beyond death; are you sure where you are headed? Maybe you think there is oblivion and that would be good, but you cannot be sure. In life there is always the possibility of something wonderful just around the corn

No, millions worldwide suffer from this condition. It can be helpful to find a self help group, where you can meet with others who suffer with this condition. That way you can learn all sorts of coping mechanisms. It is my experience that people meet more when they are feeling o.k. and chat to exchange ideas. People who suffer from depression are often the most jolly people you can find. They are resourceful and witty. I also belong to a writer's group which brings me to the point that creative writing can help you when depressed. I write poems to express all sorts of feelings. Below is a link to some of my sadder ones. If you can get on to paper what you are feeling it can help you to understand what is happening. In the area where you live there will be many people who suffer from depression. If you get into conversation and mention that you sometimes get depression you are likely to have the person say that they do too, or that they know someone close to them who does

Once you are depressed your brain will not be working properly and you will not be able to figure out a plan of action, but while you are well, you can. Make a list of friends who understand what you go through. You can contact them when you first begin to feel yourself sliding into depression. They may have very good ideas of how to help you. A cup of coffee and a chat can work wonders. Then there are friends at a distance who will be willing to chat on the phone. Make a page on your computer to which you can refer. Here you can have your friends listed. Then list the activities that will help you, whether it be knitting, jigsaw puzzle or playing the piano. When you are depressed your brain is slow so if you have this list of things handy it can really help. Exercise is known to help depression. Get a friend to go on a walk with you. Even gentle exercise, like swinging your arms, can help and you can do that in the privacy of your own home. It's worth trying anythi

People need people. You may not feel like mixing with people but this is the most therapeutic thing you can do for yourself. It is important to be able to behave as if you are not depressed and you will be delighted to see that not only do other people not notice your depression, but you almost convince yourself as well. Nothing can be more helpful than that. Although it is good to mix with people who understand what it is to be depressed. because they have been there, it is also important to mix with those who do not understand. They will just find you to be in a quiet mood, no more, no less. Some depression is reactive. You are reacting to a difficult situation. Mine is endogenous and not related to life around me. My worries are often of the kind where you say,"What if such and such happens?" I am very good at coping with the things life throws at me, but give me a negative possibility and I can spiral into worry. Give yourself targets for your day and rew

When you are depressed you are often anxious as well. This can be soothed by listening to music or doing a handicraft. Something like knitting or crochet can be helpful partly because it is repetitive. This takes the mind off the worries and you also end up with something beautiful or useful and feel your day has not been altogether wasted.The brain is kept busy with the handicraft and is not able to worry as much as if you are doing nothing.Working on any project is good. For the men perhaps a little model making in the shed would be helpful. Anything is good if it requires a certain amount of brain work.Painting and calligraphy would also fit the bill. I like playing short mat bowls. The skill needed takes my mind off the worrying.

So how do I cope with depression? When it's got you in it's grip sometimes you just have to let it wash over you.At that point it is no use anyone telling you to pull yourself together. After all the bit of you that you would use to pull yourself together is the bit that is ill and weak. Later the time to pull yourself together will come, but for now just sit tight.I feel as if I cannot cope with anything, but usually if I have something planned I will somehow manage to keep to that commitment and in such a way that nobody knows how I am struggling. These times are a little triumph to help you through the day. Mornings are the worst time for me and I just want to stay in bed and let the world go on without me. When I am very low I do take to my bed a lot. I am very fortunate that my bouts of depression only last about one week. Before my medication was sorted in the 80's I would dip in and out of depression all winter. Thank God for pills.